Aviat A-1A accident near Farmingdale, New York, May 5, 2007
On May 5, 2007 at about 12:50 pm local time, a Aviat A-1A, registered N16HY, was substantially damaged in an accident near Farmingdale, New York (Republic Aiport airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during a short-field takeoff, which resulted in an inadvertent stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 5, 2007 · about 12:50 pm local time
- Place
- Farmingdale, New York · Republic Aiport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aviat A-1A
- Registration
- N16HY · no longer on the register · serial 1455
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane stalled during initial takeoff climb as the pilot was performing a simulated short field takeoff. The pilot/owner boarded his passenger, started the airplane, and taxied to a 5,516-foot-long by 150-foot-wide asphalt runway. The pilot elected to perform a short-field takeoff. Once the airplane became airborne, the pilot established a pronounced nose-high attitude as he attempted to establish a climb airspeed of 55 knots. The pilot was under the impression that the stall speed of the airplane was between 47 and 51 knots and the best angle of climb speed (Vx) was between 55 and 60 knots. The pilot added that when the airplane reached an altitude of 100 to 200 feet above the runway, the engine RPM dropped and the airspeed decreased. The airplane stalled and the nose of the airplane dropped toward the ground, impacting the runway. A witness, who was a flight instructor, was standing on the airport ramp near the main terminal building when he saw the airplane takeoff. He said the airplane was in an "extreme nose high attitude" and he never saw the pilot make an attempt to lower the nose. Examination of the airplane revealed that the airplane came to rest upright on the west side of the runway near the 1,020-foot fixed-distance marks on the runway. The initial impact point was a series of four slash marks on the runway surface just prior to where the airplane came to rest. The flaps were found in the zero-degree (fully retracted) position and the elevator trim tab was positioned one-quarter of a turn from neutral towards the nose down position. According to the airplane's Flight Manual, the tab should be set halfway between neutral and full nose-up for a high performance takeoff. In addition, the published stall speed for the airplane with flaps (power on) was 33 miles per hour (mph) (29 knots).
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 1,796 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 481.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 1,875 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FRG Farmingdale NY at 12:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01, 5,516 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 009° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from FRG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.